Running board construction for car roofs



Search Room 23, 1940. c. D. BONSALL RUNNING BOARD CONSTRUCTION FOR CARROOFS Filed Feb. 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheer, 1

.416 41' To R/VE Ks Search R 23, 1940. c. D. BONSALL RUNNING BOARDCONSTRUCTION FOR CAR ROOFS Filed Feb. 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 110.5HTTORA/F e Patented Apr. 23, 1940 RUNNING BOARD CONSTRUCTION FOR CARROOFS Charles David Bonsall, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to StandardRailway Equipment Manufacturing- Company, New Kensington, Pa., acorporation of Delaware Application February 25, 1939, Serial No.258,507

11 Claims. (Cl. 105-457) search Room UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Thisinvention relates to running board constructions for car roofs,particularly metal running board constructions for metal freight carroofs of the type wherein the roof sheets are adapted and arranged toform alternating ribs and channels and are connected by rigid upstandingseams located in said channels and the running board is supported bysaid ribs and said seams. The principal object of the present inventionis to devise a strong and durable, simple and economical lightweightmetal running board construction that can be quickly and easily appliedto roofs of the above type and will better provide for the support ofthe running board. The invention consists in the metal running boardconstruction and in the parts and in the combinations and arrangementsof parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification andwherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a car roof provided with a runningboard construction embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the roof on the line2--2 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the roof at one sideof the running board,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through the roof atthe ridge on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1,

Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical cross-sections on the lines 5-5 and 6-6,respectively, in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the running boardsaddles or brackets.

In the accompanying drawings, my invention is illustrated in connectionwith a metal freight car roof having alternating flat-topped ribs A andflat-bottomed channels B which extend crosswise of the car and slopedownwardly from ridge to eaves thereof, and upstanding seams C locatedin said channels along the longitudinal middle portions thereof. Saidmetal roof is made up of metal roof sheets I that slope downwardly fromridge to eaves of the car where they are turned down and rigidly securedto the side plates 2 thereof by rivets 3. The roof sheets I are providedalong their adjacent margins with upstanding flanges 4 that arestraddled by seam caps 5, all secured together by rivets 6 to form theseams C, the ends of said caps being bent down over the side plates 2and secured thereto by the securing rivets 3 for the downturned ends ofsaid roof sheets. As shown in the drawings, the roof sheets are offsetupwardly along the middle portions thereof to form the hollow roof ribsA, while the intervening portions at the lower level of said sheetscooperate to form the roof channels B.

The roof is provided with a metal longitudinal running boardconstruction comprising longitudinally corrugated sections D that aredisposed between the roof seams C in the endwise alinement along theridge of the roof with their upper surfaces disposed substantially atthe level of the ridge portions of said seams. The adjacent ends of themetal running board sections D are secured to the roof seams C disposedtherebetween by running board saddles preferably in the form of metalangle brackets I that are disposed on opposite sides of said seams withone flange down and secured to the sides of the seam caps 5 by thesecuring rivets 6 therefor and with the other flanges extendingoutwardly beneath said ends of said running board sections and securedthereto at the corners thereof by vertical rivets 8 having fiat upperheads. The portions of the roof seams located between the spaced ends ofadjacent running board sections are protected by means of sheet metalflashings 9 having hollow ribs that straddle said seams and outstandingbase flanges I that are interposed between the outstanding top flangesof the running board saddles 1 and the overlying end portions of saidsections.

Each of the metal running board sections D has depending side marginalflanges H with inturned lower marginal portions l2 and relatively widelongitudinal tread portions l3 separated by relatively narrow channelsor grooves H of equal depth formed by a series of spaced longitudinalflat-bottomed ribs IS on the under side of said section between saidside marginal flanges. The tread portions are preferably provided withseries of bossed-up openings l6 that are spaced apart longitudinally ofsaid portions from end to end thereof; and the bottoms of the channelsare provided with series of longitudinally spaced drain openings ll.

As shown in Fig. 5, the outstanding top flanges of the running boardsaddles I extend between the depending side marginal flanges ll ofadjacent running board sections and are offset downwardly intermediatebetween their ends to form depressed seats l8 for the end portions ofthe longitudinal depending ribs l of said sections. The base flanges IDof the flashings 9 are also depressed, as at I 9, intermediate betweentheir ends to seat in the depressed seats I8 in the outstanding topflanges of the running board brackets.

The running board sections extend from roof seam to roof seam across andabove the line of the tops of the roof ribs where they are supported byand welded or otherwise rigidly secured to one or more running boardbrackets or saddles 20 that rest on the tops of said ribs. These runningboard saddles are disposed beneath and crosswise of the metal runningboard sections and are preferably of Z-shaped cross-section; that is,each of said saddles comprises a vertical web portion with anoutstanding top flange 2| on one side thereof and with an outstandingbase flange 22 on the other side thereof. As shown in the drawings, thebase flanges 22 of the running board saddles 20 slope downwardly fromtheir middle to their ends in conformity with the slope of the tops ofthe roof ribs A so as to seat flatwise there on. The top flanges 2| ofthe running board saddles 20 are depressed at intervals between theirends to form a series of alternating flatbottomed ribs 23 andflat-bottomed grooves 23a adapted to form flat, longitudinal seats forthe tread and depending groove portions l3 and I4, respectively, of therunning board sections. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the webs of therunning board saddles 20 are slit vertically near their ends and bentoutwardly to form notches 24 at the lower corners of said saddles andflanges 25 at the tops of said notches that project horizontally fromthe base flange sides of said webs. These notched and laterally flangedends of the running board saddles fit snugly between the marginal treadsI3 of the running board sections and the horizontally disposed inturnedlower marginal portions l2 of the depending side marginal flanges l I ofsaid sections. The depending side marginal flanges of the running boardsections are preferably of decreased depth above the roof ribs toprovide surplus metal which is utilized to increase the width of theinturned lower marginal portions I2 of said flanges and thus increasethe area of surface contact between said inturned portions of saidflanges and the outstanding flanges 25 at the notched ends of therunning board saddles 20.

The hereinbefore described metal running board construction is light,durable and inexpensive and may be quickly and easily applied to theroof without any alteration thereof. The hollow depending ribs and sidemarginal flanges serve to strengthen and stiffen the running boardsections and thus increase the load carrying capacity thereof; and saidhollow ribs are comparatively shallow ribs all of the same depth andcross-sectional shape. The running board sections are supportedintermediate between their ends by saddles that rest on and are shapedto fit the angle of ridge portions of the roof ribs; and said saddlesafford flat horizontal seats for the running board sections and areinterlocked therewith to prevent vertical and sidewise separationthereof. The running board sections and their supporting saddles may befurnished for application to the roof as complete preassembled units.

What I claim is:

1. A running board construction for car roofs, said running boardcomprising a metal section having depending side marginal flanges withinturned lower marginal portions, metal brackets secured to the ends ofsaid section and adapted to be secured to said roof, and a metal bracketdisposed beneath and crosswise of said section intermediate between theends thereof and having its end portions shaped to flt between saidinturned lower marginal portions of said depending side marginal flangesand the portions of said section located thereabove.

2. A running board construction for car roofs having upstanding seams,said running board comprising a metal section adapted to fit betweenadjacent seams and having a tread portion and depending side marginalflanges with inturned lower marginal portions, metal brackets secured tothe under side of said tread portion at the ends of said section betweenthe depending side marginal flanges thereof and adapted to be secured tosaid adjacent seams, and a metal bracket disposed beneath and crosswiseof said section intermediate between the ends thereof and having its endportions shaped to fit between the inturned margins of said dependingside marginal flanges and the under side of said tread portion, said endportions of said last mentioned bracket having outstanding side flangesadapted to seat flatwise upon the inturned lower marginal portions ofsaid depending side marginal flanges.

3. A running board construction for car roof having upstanding seams andraised panels between said seams, said running board comprising a metalsection adapted to fit between adjacent seams above the raised roofpanel therebetween and having a tread portion and depending sidemarginal flanges with inturned lower marginal portions spaced below saidtread portion, metal angle brackets at the ends of said section arrangedwith one flange up and disposed between said side marginal flanges incontact with the under side of said tread portion and with the otherflange down and adapted to be secured to an adjacent seam, a bracketdisposed beneath and crosswise of said section intermediate between theends thereof and having its end portions shaped to flt between the underside of said tread portion and the inturned margins of said sidemarginal flanges, said end portions of said last mentioned brackethaving outstanding side flanges adapted to seat flatwise upon theinturned lower marginal portions of said side marginal flanges, theportion of said bracket disposed between said inturned lower marginalportions extending therebelow and having its bottom portion shaped tofit the angle of the ridge portion of said raised roof panel.

4. A running board construction for car roofs having upstanding seams,said running board comprising a metal section adapted to fit betweenadjacent seams and having depending side marginal flanges with inturnedlower marginal portions, metal brackets secured to the ends of saidsection and adapted to be secured to said adjacent seams, and a metalbracket disposed beneath and crosswise of said section intermediatebetween the ends thereof and having its end portions shaped to fitbetween the inturned margins of said depending side marginal flanges andthe portions of the running board section located thereabove. said endportions of said last mentioned bracket having outstanding side flangesadapted to seat flatwise upon the inturned lower marginal portions ofsaid depending side marginal flanges, said section being longitudinallycorrugated from end to end between said side marginal flanges and theupper surfaces of said first mentioned brackets being offset downwardlybetween their ends to provide depressed seats for the corrugated portionof said section, and the upper surface of said second mentioned bracketbeing corrugated crosswise to fit the under side of the corrugatedportion.

5. A running board construction for car roofs comprising a metal runningboard having de pending side marginal flanges with inturned lowermarginal portions, and a metal running board supporting bracket disposedbeneath and crosswise of said running board and having its end portionsshaped to fit between the inturned lower margins of said depending sidemarginal flanges and the portions of the running board locatedthereabove, said running board being longitudinally corrugated betweensaid side marginal flanges and the upper surface of said bracket beingcorrugated crosswise to fit the under side of the longitudinallycorrugated portion of said running board.

6. A running board construction for a car roof comprising a metalrunning board having depending side marginal flanges with inturned lowermarginal portions, and a metal running board supporting bracket disposedbeneath and crosswise of said running board and having its end portionsshaped to fit between the inturned lower margins of said depending sidemarginal flanges and the portions of the running board locatedthereabove, said running board being longitudinally corrugated betweensaid side marginal flanges, the top of said bracket being corrugatedcrosswise to fit the under side of the longitudinally corrugated portionof said running board and the bottom of said bracket being shaped to fitthe ridge portion of said car roof.

7. A running board construction for car roofs comprising a metal runningboard having depending side marginal flanges with inturned lowermarginal portions, and metal running board saddles disposed beneath andcrosswise of said running board and having their upper corner portionsshaped to fit between the inturned lower marginal portions of saiddepending side marginal flanges of said running board and the under sidethereof, said corner portions of said saddles having outstanding sideflanges adapted to seat flatwise upon the inturned lower marginalportions of said depending side marginal flanges.

8. A running board construction for car roofs comprising a metal runningboard having depending side marginal flanges with inturned lowermarginal portions, and metal running board saddles disposed beneath andcrosswise of said running board and having their upper corner portionsshaped to fit between the inturned lower marginal portions of saiddepending side marginal flanges of said running board and the under sidethereof, said corner portions of said saddles having outstanding sideflanges adapted to seat flatwise upon the inturned lower marginalportions of said depending side marginal flanges, said running boardbeing longitudinally corru- Search Roorr gated between said sidemarginal flanges, and said saddles having their upper surfaces shaped tofit the under sides of the longitudinally corrugated portion of saidrunning board.

9. A running board construction for a car roof comprising a metalrunning board having depending side marginal flanges with inturned lowermarginal portions, and a metal running board saddle disposed beneath andcrosswise of said running board with its upper surface in contact withthe under side of said running board substantially from side flange toside flange thereof, and having their upper corner portions shaped andflanged to seat on the inturned lower marginal portions of saiddepending side marginal flanges, said running board being longitudinallycorrugated between said side marginal flanges and said saddle having itsupper surface shaped to fit the under sides of the longitudinallycorrugated portion of said running board and having its bottom shaped tofit the slope of the ridge portion of said car roof.

10. A running board construction for car roofs comprising a metalrunning board having a longitudinally corrugated tread portion anddepending side marginal flanges, and a metal running board saddledisposed beneath and crosswise of said running board and having alateral top flange extending substantially from side flange to sideflange of said running board and shaped to fit the under side of saidcorrugated tread portion, said saddle being slit upwardly from thebottom thereof adjacent to the ends thereof and the metal between saidslits and said ends being bent to form outstanding flanges at the sideof said saddle, the lower portions of said depending side marginalflanges of said running board being bent inwardly beneath saidoutstanding side flanges of said saddle.

11. A running board construction for a metal car roof having upstandingseams extending crosswise thereof, said construction comprising a. metalrunning board section adapted to fit between adjacent seams and havingdepending side marginal flanges, and a plurality of spaced longitudinalhollow depending ribs extending from end to end of said section betweenthe depending side marginal flanges thereof, and metal angles forsecuring the ends of said section to said roof seams, said angles beingdisposed crosswise of said section at the ends thereof with one flangedown and adapted to be secured to the side of an adjacent roof seam andwith the other flange extending beneath said section between thedepending side marginal flanges thereof and oflset downwardlyintermediate between its ends to form a depressed seat for the overlyingend portions of the depending hollow ribs of said section.

CHARLES DAVID BONBALL.

